Our Fitness Blog

Follow the Fad?

Food fads, diets fads, etc., are a dime a dozen. They are often packaged very well and look appealing, promising amazing results. Should we follow these fads? Is there one better than the other? In short, if individuals are looking for meaningful and sustainable results for a lifetime, the answer is...Absolutely Not. There are food fads and diet fads such as intermittent fasting, gluten free (which is fading as quickly as it started), etc. NOTE: **Keep in mind, this is not referring to individuals thatmustavoid gluten due to medical conditions (such as Celiac Disease); rather, this is in reference to those that chose a gluten-free diet in hopes of weight loss**

According to Stefano Guandalini, MD, president of the North American Society for the Study of Celiac Disease says, “Someone who needs to be on a gluten-free diet and is closely monitored can benefit tremendously from it. But for everyone else, embracing this diet makes no sense.” Dr. Stefano Guandalini also says, "one very real danger of following a gluten-free diet is eating too much fat and too little fiber."

We have to keep in mind that anything with the word 'diet' attached to it is not going to bring about meaningful and sustainable results for a lifetime. The acronym for DIET sums it up, Disaster Imminent Every Time®. According to Michael Greger, M.D., "The reason health professionals don’t want to see people on gluten-free diets unless absolutely necessary is that, for the 98 percent of people that don’t have gluten issues, whole grains—including the gluten grains wheat, barley and rye—are health promoting, linked to reduced risk of coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic diseases."

I've been fortunate to have personally coached thousands of individuals from all around the world; 30+ states in the USA and 10+ countries. And yes, over the years, numerous individuals came to me thinking they had gluten sensitivity/allergy. But, within days of simply fueling them right, 99.99% of these individuals quickly realized they had no gluten issues whatsoever. The issue was simply this…they were not fueling their body with the right fuel, frequency and macronutrient balance and this was causing GI issues, not the gluten. And this is where 9Round Nutrition will help to set your body up for great success by ensuring your body will be properly fueled with the proper fueling frequency, fueling timing and macronutrient balance.

Dr. Greger goes on to say, "Because some people have a peanut allergy doesn’t mean everyone should avoid peanuts. There is no evidence to suggest that following a gluten-free diet has any significant benefits in the general population. Indeed, there is some evidence to suggest that a gluten-free diet may adversely affect gut health in those without celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or wheat allergy"

Other popular diets include fasting/detox and these tend to be even more popular around the holidays such as Thanksgiving, why? Well, individuals tend to partake in an overload of food and beverage during the holidays. After the eating binge comes to a halt, the individual feels quite miserable and wants to 'erase' the effects of this excessive overeating. Often times, this draws people towards fasting/intermittent fasting, etc. Is this healthy? Well, virtually all medical experts will agree that self-prescribed fasting is not an acceptable modality for weight loss.

According to Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, CNS, founder and director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Weight Loss Management Center, "The appeal is that [fasting] is quick, but it is quick fluid loss, not substantial weight loss" Dr. Fernstorm goes on to say, "If it's easy off, it will come back quickly -- as soon as you start eating normally again." "Fasting is nota weight loss tool. Fasting slows your metabolic rate down so your diet from before the fast is even more fattening after you fast," says Joel Fuhrman M.D.

In addition, individuals may gravitate towards a 'cleanse' following the holidays and overeating. "Fasts are sometimes accompanied with enemas to cleanse your intestinal tract and that can be very dangerous," says Dr. Fernstrom. "The intestinal tract has a lot of good bacteria. When you are changing that balance, the good bacteria are affected, too."

In summary, I get it; food fads and diets can look very appealing. When individuals get motivated to improve their overall health and change their body composition, they want results yesterday. It's understandable to want results NOW. But the reality is this; it's going to take time, effort, energy, patience, focus, discipline and the ability to delay gratification (researchers have found the one trait successful individuals possess is the ability to delay gratification). Let's drop the diets and drop the food fads and let's focus on one thing...fueling the body properly. Because when we do, anything is possible.

Whether your goals are body transformation, improved overall health and fitness and/or athletic performance, fueling the body properly is one of the biggest keys to success. At 9Round Nutrition, we have done the heavy lifting for you. We have designed a meal plan (not a diet) built around the principles of science and human physiology. 9Round Nutrition will help assist you with your fueling frequency, fueling timing and your proper balance of carbohydrate-protein-fat at every meal and snack. Let's get on the path towards meaningful and sustainable results for a lifetime. Let's put the diets and food fads in the rearview mirror and let 9Round Nutrition be your guide as you progress forward on this amazing health, fitness, body transformation and athletic journey!